Educational information only. At Precursor, blood testing is requested and reviewed by a clinician and considered alongside your history and other markers, not as a stand-alone diagnosis. Testing is performed in NATA-accredited laboratories to ISO 15189 standards.

What is albumin?

Albumin is the most abundant protein in your blood, made by the liver. It does essential jobs: holding fluid within your blood vessels, and carrying hormones, medications and other substances around the body. Because the liver produces it, albumin doubles as a marker of liver function and of general nutritional status.

Why it matters

Albumin gives a broad read on how well the liver is synthesising protein and, indirectly, on nutrition and inflammation. A low level can point in several directions at once, which is why it is always interpreted alongside the rest of your panel rather than in isolation.

What your results can mean

Lower than optimal

A low albumin can reflect reduced liver production, inflammation, poor nutrition, or losses through the kidneys or gut. The wider panel helps a clinician work out which.

Within the healthy range

An albumin in range suggests the liver is producing protein well and points away from significant inflammation or nutritional deficit from this marker's viewpoint.

Reference ranges in Australia

Albumin is reported in grams per litre (g/L). As a general guide, a value in the region of 35 to 50 g/L is often considered within range, though this varies by laboratory. Read your result against the range on your own report.

Test your liver with Precursor

Albumin is most meaningful within a full panel. At Precursor it is measured as part of Full Advanced Bloods, a single clinician-reviewed blood draw covering your liver, heart, metabolic, hormonal, kidney, thyroid and nutrient markers together, giving you and your clinician a broad baseline to understand and track.